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Frog, look and ask around for the local sewing machine repair guy near where you live. He's usually an elderly retired machinist/tool & die type. These guys often have machines for sale that people abandoned after he repaired them.

The first few times you use it you'll feel as inept as you ever have. Start with some stuff sacks and before you know it, you'll have a dresser drawer full of stuff sacks and you'll be able to put down a decent line of stitching. It becomes kind of fun and BELIEVE ME, I never thought I'd say that!

The first few times you use it you'll feel as inept as you ever have. Start with some stuff sacks and before you know it, you'll have a dresser drawer full of stuff sacks and you'll be able to put down a decent line of stitching. It becomes kind of fun and BELIEVE ME, I never thought I'd say that!

Same here. I bought mine off Amazon for around $30. Not the top of the line I can promise you. Paid for itself very quickly. Shoot the loops I sewed in my webbing would have cost near that if taken to a seamstress.

I love it when people are amazed I can sew. It is really easy and basically common sense. To make backpacking gear and hammocks you only need 2 stitches; straight and zigzag. The only adjustments you need to do is the length of stitch and in case of zigzag, the width. Anything you need to know can easily be learned on the internet and Wal-Martís $1.00 yard bin can give you all the practice cheaply.

Let me make a disclaimer; Gear making can be very addictive. It can cause you to lose interest in things you thought were important. You could spend countless nights thinking about gear hammocks and tarps. Some of the known side effects are;
Cruising in every Wal-Mart fabric departments for 100 miles.
Looking at clothing to analyze the seams.
Little pieces of thread under your dinner table.
Alcohol stoves everywhere.
Decreased sexual activity.
Spending more time making hiking gear than hiking.
Hair loss
Dizziness
Countless stuffsacks

Until you know the effects you should not sew on alcohol. The very old, young and frail should consult a physician before and long strenuous sewing projects. If ripping out seams lasts for more than 4 hours consult your seamstress right away. Never make a Thong Hammock no matter how light it may be.

I love it when people are amazed I can sew. It is really easy and basically common sense. To make backpacking gear and hammocks you only need 2 stitches; straight and zigzag. The only adjustments you need to do is the length of stitch and in case of zigzag, the width. Anything you need to know can easily be learned on the internet and Wal-Martís $1.00 yard bin can give you all the practice cheaply.

Let me make a disclaimer; Gear making can be very addictive. It can cause you to lose interest in things you thought were important. You could spend countless nights thinking about gear hammocks and tarps. Some of the known side effects are;
Cruising in every Wal-Mart fabric departments for 100 miles.
Looking at clothing to analyze the seams.
Little pieces of thread under your dinner table.
Alcohol stoves everywhere.
Decreased sexual activity.
Spending more time making hiking gear than hiking.
Hair loss
Dizziness
Countless stuffsacks

Until you know the effects you should not sew on alcohol. The very old, young and frail should consult a physician before and long strenuous sewing projects. If ripping out seams lasts for more than 4 hours consult your seamstress right away. Never make a Thong Hammock no matter how light it may be.